Travel

"Chinamania: Whistler and the Victorian Craze for Blue and White," a small thematic exhibition on view at the Freer Gallery until Aug. 2011, explores the significance of Chinese export porcelain in Victorian England, where it began as an object of serious aesthetic inspiration but soon proliferated as a status symbol. more »

As the tunes Cape Breton musicians play follow the twists and turns of lives and landscape, so too do the familiar sights of the island’s history and bounty further enhance the repertoire. They emanate from homes and dimly lighted church halls. They are found in the Cape Islander listing on the shore after the lobster season, or in the vestiges of the mining towns’ red rows, now sheathed in vinyl siding. They are seen and felt in the island’s changing light and mercurial weather and in its forests as well as along a gritty Sidney street. more »

The United States (19th on the list) closed its gender gap, rising 12 places to enter the top 20 for the first time in the report’s five-year history. The climb reflects the higher number of women in leading roles in the current administration and improvements in the wage gap. more »

The State Department alerts US citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions. more »